Clamp head



Dec. 7, 1937. p w 2,101,192

CLAMP HEAD Filed Sept. 2, 1936 INVENTOR.

, S/DA/Ey 14. PIFBWTT BY I ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to saw mills and the part thereof which is used to engage the log and hold the same against displacement during the operation of the equipment, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a novel, unique and effective clamp head for assisting in holding the log during the time specified.

One of the important objects of this invention is the provision of a clamp head for saw mills that is constructed to be associated with the conventional frame work of a saw mill and especially a. standard provided thereon which has means for simultaneously gripping the standard and engaging the log as the lever of the clamp head is manipulated.

A yet further aim of this invention is to provide a clamp head for saw mills, having structure for quickly and effectively engaging a part of the frame of the mill to prevent displacement as the spike element of the head is driven against the log, to the end that but a single action is necessary in effecting adjustment of the clamp head upon the frame and for directing the spike toward the log.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a clamp head for saw mills which is rugged and strong; will not require a lot of adjustment or manipulation as it is moved to and from the operative position to hold a log in place; has means for simultaneously clamping the block thereof to a portion of the saw mill and moving the spike longitudinally when affixing the head in a working position; and which is likewise releasable from a working position both as regards the said spike and attachment to the frame through a single actuation of the same lever.

Minor objects of this invention will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of a saw mill, having associated therewith a clamp head made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the clamp head, mounted on a standard.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clamp head.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through the same, taken on line IVIV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse, cross sectional view, taken through the clamp head along line VV of Fig. 3, and,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the inner face of the operating lever.

The clamp head made to embody this invention is particularly useful in holding logs or blocks on the cutting table or frame 8 of a well known saw mill, such, for example, as that shown and described in-United States Letters Patent Number 1,316,555, issued September 23, 1919, to J. F. Bell. The saw mill has a member If] that is movable toward and from the edge of frame 8, and a standard 12 is usually mounted upon member ID, as shown in Fig. l. A log N rests upon'the saw mill in relation to members 8, l0 and 12, as shown in Fig. v1, and when in such 10' position, the log should be held in place for engagement with the saw, not here illustrated.

It is important that log l4 be secured against displacement, and the work of so fastening log l4 should consume as little time and effort as 15 possible;

The unique clamp head which embodies the invention is exemplified in its preferred form and comprises a block 16, which has two bores or holes l8 and 20 formed therethrough for the reception of standard l2. These two holes or bores are identical in so far as size and function are concerned, and afford adjustment to move spike 22 closer to standard [2 when the log or block [4 is of a size requiring such adjustment.

Another passage 24 is provided through block I6 adjacent one end thereof, with its longitudinal axis preferably parallel to the similar axes of holes !8 and 20. Block 16 is cut away as at 26 to present a cavity in communication with passage 24 so that that part of spike 22 between the sides of block I6 may be engaged by a member of the head assembly. A socket 29 is formed in one side of block l6 and extendsdnwardly into communication with bores IB and 20. This relation between socket 28 and bores l8 and 20 is illustrated in Fig. 4.

A dog 30, having a hole 32 formed transversely therethrough on substantially the medial transverse axis thereof, fits into socket 28 and against standard l2 when it is passed through either one of bores 18 or 20. A bolt 34 extends through hole 32 in dog 30 and through lever 36 in a manner illustrated in Fig. 4. Obviously, there is an opening 38 formed through lever 36 to receive bolt 34 and it is desirable in practice to provide a bushing 40 between bolt 94 and the inner face of lever 36 which is formed by opening 38. Hole 32 which traverses dog 30 is enlarged in diameter inwardly from the inner face of dog 30 so that 50 said dog may tip to engage the standard which extends through one of holes H8 or 29.

The ends of dog 30 and the walls of block l6 forming the ends of socket 28 are inclined to present outwardly diverging, interengaging faces so 55 that as one end of dog 30 bears against standard 12, the inclined face at the other end thereof will bear against the adjacent inclined face of block l6 as inward force is exerted upon dog 30 by bolt 34.

Lever 36 is free to move about the axis of bolt 34 and the inner face thereof is provided with a series of radially extending ribs 42 which ride over the adjacent face of block I6. Block 16 has a plurality of elevated faces 44, segmental in form and arranged with respect to ribs 42 so that when lever 36 is in one station, ribs 42 lie between the ends of the elevated faces 44 to release dog 30 from engagement with standard I2. When lever 36 is manipulated to move ribs 42 upon the elevated faces 44, outward force is exerted upon bolt 34 longitudinally thereof and, manifestly, dog 30 is drawn inwardly into gripping relation with standard I2.

Lever 36 is caused to present a. gear face, having teeth 46 at one end, and these teeth are in mesh with a gear segment 48, formed on member 50, which is pivotally mounted upon block IE on the same side as lever 36. Cross bolt 52 precludes accidental displacement of member 50, and a boss 54 serves as the medium for pivotally carrying member 56. While one end of member 56 is formed to present gear segment 48, the other end thereof has a lug 58 projecting laterally therefrom into a notch 60, formed in one edge of spike 22. Through the mechanism just described, it will be obvious that movement of lever 36 will rotate member 5!] about the axis of cross bolt 52 and cause spike 22 to be longitudinally reciprocated. l

The cut-away portion 26 formed in block l6 permits freedom of movement on behalf of member 56 and passage 25 guides spike 22 as it is moving. The ends of spike 22 are sharpened and hardened if desired, and notch 60 is closer to one end of spike 22 than the other end thereof so that the same may be withdrawn and reversed to present a greater or shorter length below block l6. Through such construction of spike 22 and the employment of two holes l8 and 20 for the reception of standard l2, the clamp head is susceptible of four steps of adjustment. Certainly it is clear that upon manual manipulation of lever 36 from the position shown in dotted lines of Fig. 3 to the position shown in solid lines in said figure, block 56 will be released from engagement with standard l2 simultaneously with the withdrawal of spike 22 from its lowermost position (shown in dotted lines), where it might be in engagement with a log I4.

The relation of parts is such that ribs 42 immediately ride upon elevated faces 44 as soon as lever 36 starts moving about its pivotal support and then spike 22 is moved to engagement with the log, all by one stroke of lever 36. Such work may be accomplished by one hand as the other is holding log l4, and it has been found in practice that the efliciency and speed resulting from the use of this clamp head are highly advantageous. It is understood that-a clamp head having different characteristics than those illustrated in the drawing might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a saw mill having a frame for supporting a log, a clamp head comprising a standard; a block slidably mounted on the standard for movement longitudinally therealong toward and from a log on the frame; a spike, having a notch therein, slidably mounted in the block; a'lever pivotally carried by the block having a gear formed at one end thereof; a gear segment having teeth in engagement with the said gear and a laterally extending lug extending into the notch in the spike; a dog on the block movable toward and from the standard; and means interconnecting the lever and said dog for alternately moving the dog toward and from the standard as the lever is oscillated about its pivotal connection with the block, said spike being longitudinally reciprocated toward and from the log simultaneously as the dog grips and disengages the standard respectively.

2. In a saw mill having a frame for supporting a log, a clamp head comprising a standard; a block slidably mounted on the standard for movement longitudinally therealong toward and from a log on the frame; a spike, having a notch therein, slidably mounted in the block; a lever pivotally carried by the block having a gear formed at one end thereof; a gear segment having teeth in engagement with the said gear and a laterally extending lug extending into the notch in the spike; a dog on the block movable toward and from the standard; and means interconnecting the lever and said dog for alternately moving the dog toward and from the standard as the lever is oscillated about its pivotal connection with the block, said 7' spike being longitudinally reciprocated toward and from the log simultaneously as the dog grips and disengages the standard respectively, said dog having connection with the lever at the pivotal connection thereof with the block, the said lever and the block having coacting elements for moving the dog longitudinally of the axis of said lever.

3. In a saw mill having a frame for supporting a log, a clamp head comprising a standard; a block slidably mounted on the standard for move ment longitudinally therealong toward and from a log on the frame; a spike, having a notch therein, slidably mounted in the block; a lever pivotally carried by the block having a gear formed at one end thereof; a gear segment having teeth in engagement with the said gear and a laterally extending lug extending into the notch in the spike; a dog on the block movable toward and from the standard; and means interconnecting the lever and said dog for alternately moving the dog towar and from the standard as the leverisoscillated about its pivotal connection with the block, said spike being longitudinally reciprocatedtoward and from the log simultaneously as the dog grips and disengages the standard respectively,said doghaving connection with the lever at the pivotal connection thereof with the block, the said lever and the block having coacting elements for moving the dog longitudinally of the axis of said lever, said coacting elements comprising a plurality of elevated faces on the block, and a plurality of ribs on the lever disposed to lie bet-ween the elevated faces when the dog is released and to bear upon the said elevated faces respectively when the dog is being held against the standard.

4. In a saw mill having a frame for supporting a log, a' clamp head comprising a standard; a block slidably mounted on the standard for movement longitudinally therealong toward and from a log on the frame; a spike, having a notch therein, slidably mounted in the block; a lever pivotally carried by the block having a gear formed at one end thereof; a gear segment having teeth in engagement with the said gear and a laterally exdog grips and disengages the standard respectively, said block being provided with two bores therethrough to selectively receive the standard, said dog being pivotally mounted between said bores to bear against the standard when the lat- 5 ter is extended through either one of said bores.

SIDNEY A. PREWI'IT. 

